Mojo de Ajo Asado aka Roasted Garlic Mojo

Tags

garlic, gluten free, lime, Mexican, roasted, sauce, vegan, vegetarian

After hearing an interview with Rick Bayless on NPR, I knew I had to check out one of his cookbooks. I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I have never met a dish I didn’t like. I also appreciate Rick’s approach to this cuisine. It’s not that fried, unhealthy “Mexican” that can be found in every average Mexican restaurant in the US. This is homemade, home grown Mexican.

Mojo de Ajo Asado aka Roasted Garlic Mojo (from More Mexican Everyday)

• 4 heads of garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp salt

In a large iron skillet, scatter the garlic and roast, turning regularly until evenly spotted brown. You may need to do two batches. (This method is super easy!) Allow the roasted garlic to cool then remove the clove from the peel. Add to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Turn the processor on and slowly pour the olive oil into the garlic. Stop the processor and add the lime juice and the salt. Pulse until incorporated. Store in a glass jar. Lasts several months. Makes 2 cups.

Rick suggests adding a chili flakes for heat, stirring it to mayo for a quick aioli, using it to saute shrimp, or spreading onto bread before grilling it. 

 

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DELICIOUS Cheesy Garlic Bread!

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bread, breadsticks, cheese, garlic, Italian, mozzarella, parmesan

To me there is nothing better than decadently cheesy garlic bread. When I was in college, I would order Domino’s cheesy bread on particularly bad weeks. Talk about the ultimate comfort food. This recipe is super easy to make and definately satisfying!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

• 1 (10 oz) tube of prepared pizza crust
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley garnish, if desired

Spread the pizza crust evenly on a pizza pan or stone. In a bowl, combine the butter, garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread over the crust evenly. Top with cheeses. Bake at 425 degrees for approx 20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and very lightly browned. Cut into rectangle breadsticks. Makes 12 breadsticks.

 

A Simple Pasta Dinner

Tags

cheese, garlic, Italian, main dish, parmesan, pasta, quick

I love to cook but some nights I am just not in the mood to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time. This pasta dish is quick, easy, and satisfying. Plus the leftovers are good too!

Spicy, Garlicy Pasta

• 1/2 box of spaghetti
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp of chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, gently heat the garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper until fragrant. Pour over the noodles and toss to coat everything evenly. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Pickled Garlic

Tags

Edward Lee, garlic, molasses, pickled, pickles, snacks, soy

For Christmas, my dearest hubby gave me Smoke and Pickles – the cookbook by Edward Lee, a Louisville chef, whose recipes have a lovely twist of Southern and Asian flavors. This pickled garlic is lovely.

I finely mince it and then add it back into the molasses soy sauce to use as a dipping sauce for potstickers. It would also be a great garnish for Bloody Marys or as a nibble to go with other pickled items and your cocktail.

Pickled Garlic

• 2 heads of garlic, each clove peeled and rinsed with water
• Distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cups rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Place the garlic cloves in a jar and cover with the white vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days. Drain the garlic and rinse with cold water. Place the garlic back in the jar. In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sugar, molasses, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then turn off and allow the flavors to mingle for 15 minutes. Pour the liquid over the garlic cloves, cover, and refrigerate for a week. Enjoy for weeks!

Chicken Caesar Salad

Tags

anchovy, caesar, chicken, dressing, easy, garlic, quick, salad

I love a good Caesar salad. It is simple, savory, and delicious. Plus it is super easy to make. I am a hard core believer in homemade salad dressing. Bottled Caesar is disgusting compared to homemade and this one is so simple there is no reason not to make it.

Chicken Caesar Salad

• Cooked chicken (I use leftover rotisserie chicken)
• Croutons
• Parmesan shavings
• Lettuce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt and pepper to taste (I don’t use salt because the fish is salty enough)
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Get out a small bowl in which to combine your dressing ingredients. On a cutting board, finely chop the garlic and anchovies together until they make a paste. Add to the bowl. Add the egg yolks and mix together well. Add the mustard and lemon juice. Stir again. Add the olive oil and whisk vigorously, until the dressing looks creamy.

In a bowl, add lettuce, chicken, croutons, and Parm shavings. Top with desired amount of dressing.

Tapas Week Part 6: Creamy Garlic Soup

Tags

appetizer, creamy, garlic, gluten free, Parmesan cheese, soup, tapas

This one may be a little odd. But hear me out. This garlic laden, creamy soup is full of flavor. I know it seems like the garlic flavor would be overwhelming but I promise it is not. The roasted and simmered garlic gives a multifaceted flavor that is enhanced by the garnish of Parmesan and a fresh lemon squeeze. Since this soup is pretty rich, only a small serving is necessary, though I confess I did eat a large bowl without any trouble. I can imagine it being served in little shot glasses with it’s own baby lemon wedge and shaving of cheese. I wish I was having a party soon. It might not be best served on date night, though. 🙂

Creamy Garlic Soup

• Servings: 4 regular bowls or 8 appetizer sized bowls
• Time: 2 hours
• Difficulty: moderate
• Print

• 30 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 1/4 cups sliced onions
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 20 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese slivers
• Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Toss them with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Squeeze the garlic with your fingers to extract the cloves.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and thyme, cooking until they are translucent. Add the roasted garlic, the raw garlic, and chicken stock to the sauce pot. Cover and simmer until the garlic is very tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in the blender or using an immersion blender. Add cream and bring up to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide soup between each bowl. Top with shavings of Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Inspired by this recipe.

Other recipes in this series:

Tapas Week Part 1: Wild Mushroom Pierogies

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tapas Week Part 3: Apple Bites With Bacon and Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Tapas Week Part 4: Five Layer Greek Dip

Tapas Week Part 5: Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts

Tags

brussels sprouts, garlic, gluten free, grilled, honey, mustard, side dish, vegetable, vegetarian

I desperately want my husband to like Brussels sprouts. I have fixed them several different ways but he just won’t like them. Sadly, this recipe is no exception. That’s ok- MORE FOR ME!!!! The mustard and garlic add a bit of zippiness while the honey caramelizes and browns with the grill’s heat making these baby cabbages are super tasty and even good left over. He may not like these but I will still be fixing them. 🙂

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts (a variation of this recipe)

• 1 lb fresh Brussles sprouts
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 3 skewers (if wood, soak for 30 minutes in water)

In a large pot, add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Boil the Brussels sprouts for 2 to three minutes. Drain and add to icy water to stop the cooling process. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes then drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, oil, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the Brussels spouts to the mustard mixture and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Thread the Brussels sprouts onto the skewers. Grill them over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If you have leftover marinade, spoon over the skewers after you turn them. The outer leaves will be lightly charred when they are done. Serves 2.

Garlic and Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers

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food, garlic, gluten free, grilled, lime, quick, seafood, shrimp, skewers, summer

I love good shrimp in the summer. Tasty and light, these skewers are great just as they are or added to salads, pasta, or even on top of nachos…

Garlic and Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers

• 4 limes, juiced and zested
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Wooden skewers

In a bowl, combine the shrimp with the lime juice/zest, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Allow the shrimp to marinade for 30 minutes. While they are marinading, soak the wooden skewers in water so they don’t burn when you grill the shrimp. Prepare the grill. When coals are grey, place the skewered shrimp over coals. Grill approx 2 minutes on each side.

Thai Crab Soup

Tags

Asian, coconut milk, crab, food, garlic, ginger, lunch, quick, soup, Thai

When I first saw this soup in my blog feed, I knew I wanted to try it. Who wouldn’t love the Thai flavors of ginger and coconut milk paired with vegetables and a tasty protein? Plus it is super easy to throw together making it a great dish for lunch. I have made this soup a couple of times since finding it and have really enjoyed it each time. You should try it.

Thai Crab Soup (a variation of this recipe)

• One can coconut milk (not the light version)
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, microplaned
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• Zest of one lemon
• 1  1/2 cup baby spinach
• 2 servings worth of cooked vermicelli
• 1 pkg imitation crab meat

In a small saucepot, combine the coconut milk and chicken stock. Add the ginger, onion, garlic, and chili flakes. Bring to a simmer. In the meantime, saute the sliced mushrooms in bit of oil to help remove some of the liquid. When done, drain off the extra liquid and add to the coconut milk mixture. Add the vermicelli and crab meat. When heated through, add the baby spinach. When barely wilted, remove from the heat and serve. Serves 3 to 4.

Oven Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Tags

cauliflower, garlic, gluten free, pine nuts, roasted, side dish, vegetarian

I bought two heads of cauliflower a couple of weeks ago and never used the second one. They hold surprisingly well in the fridge and I was able to rescue this head before it ruined. I have prepared many salads with cauliflower but I was feeling a little over the mayo coated flavor. Instead I am getting more into roasting vegetables. Zucchini. Mushrooms. Onions. Carrots. The cauliflower roasted just as well as the previously mentioned veggies. The citrus and parsley make the flavor of this dish so fresh and appealing. It does with just about anything, especially grilled meat.

Oven Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

• 1 whole head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower and garlic in two tablespoon of olive oil, two teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of pepper.  Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing twice, until the cauliflower is tender and the garlic is lightly browned. Scrape the roasted cauliflower back into the empty mixing bowl, along with the garlic and any pan juices.  Toss well with remaining tablespoon of oil, parsley, pine nuts, and lemon juice.  Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.